I recently joined an online dating website and thought it was going to be so easy to meet other men. I went on three 'dates' and I was disappointed with all three. None of the guys acted and looked as their profiles made them out to be. One guy lied about his height which really bothered me. Another even asked me if he looked the same as he does in his pictures- to which I responded with a big fat no. Why don't people just tell the truth?

Then I started talking to a guy who was really cool. We talked for hours and hours and I thought that maybe I was lucky finally. We decided to meet up for lunch and I swear to you, I was never so nervous in my entire life! That was really strange, but it went very, very well. We both agreed that we wanted to see each other again. I was literally one block away and he already started sending me text messages telling me how awesome it was blah blah blah blah. Of course, I was very excited.

Naturally, the next day he asked me if he could 'be honest' with me. I said sure, and he told me that deep down he was still hung up on his ex and that the thought of dating/being in any sort of relationship scared him. I told him we had met up for lunch just one time! At no point did I mention any sort of relationship, etc.

Because it is the internet. This is the place where almost everybody isn't telling the truth... Especially on these dating sites... Everybody wants to be presented better than they actually are to get more attention.

I never tried these online dating sites and I intend to keep it that way.

I am of the opinion that online dating is not very different than dating in any other form. In my experience I have met many people who, a) lacked self awareness; b) did not possess the traits of character I value (honesty, directness, fairness, etc.); or, c) simply did not have chemistry with me.

I just think in the world of dating you've got to kiss a lot of frogs no matter what. The advantage of online dating is you can weed through a portion of the toads without expending additional time and money (as in meeting for dinner).

It's a numbers game and I think a part of you has to be smart about how you play it, leaving room for what your heart says too.

I have a couple of friends who have had very successful experiences meeting love interests online. They also met their share of creeps, but they understood they had to manage to process in order to find the occasional prince or princess hidden amongst all those tadpoles.

Eh, I've dated several online. All the girls had serious issues. The most I went with many of them was as f-buddies. Most of them were fun in bed but elsewhere they were just downright creepy. And one thing that pissed me off is that, if I hadn't put the effort to contact girls myself, I only seemed to attract the fat chicks. And I'm sorry, but I'm not a fan of cushion for the pushin' I guess it has a lot to do with where you are located as well. I did most of my online dating in PRC which is full of trailer trash, crackwhores, and other very desirable women.

All of my most memorable and successful dates were done the old fashioned way. I guess that goes to say something.

We met on Myspace, not really through an online dating site, and emailed back and forth for nearly a year before actually meeting and starting dating, so not sure if you would qualify that as online dating, but we did initially meet via the net. Everything is going great

Originally I was rather nervous as I wasn't so sure about the whole dating over the net concept, but it all worked out in my case at least.

Good luck!

"There weren't a ton of gnats there where a ton of gnats and their families as well!"

Yes. My partner, the man who I love more than anyone in the world. We met on Manhunt.

Yup, we met on a gay hookup website. We really just got together to have dinner and then go and...uh...do what boys do. And we did. But it clicked and then he called me back. And there was a second date, and a third one, and a 4th one, and a 10th one and pretty soon we were spending every night together and we were madly in love.

We enjoy one of the most amazing relationships together that I've ever seen from any couple, straight or gay.

Online dating is like a thrift store (well, dating in general is). You can't go in with expectations. You have to go in with an open mind and a lot of patience and you would be amazed at what can happen.

I dont think the odds of succsess differ from friends trying to set you up on dates,i mean sure people can lie on thier profile , but so can a guy i meet in a club/bar/lounge its no different. I personally havent tried it , nor do i think i want to , one thing that gets me are the soooooooooooooo many guys now taking pictures of themselves in mirrors and posing , lol , i find those funny, its like the "in" thing to do now.

Would you believe the first guy I fell for and dated, I actually met on this website.

Have tried the online dating thing, met one guy and had a few drinks, emailed and texted a lot, and then he said he was still hung up on his ex and did not want a relationship. Others just want 1 thing, and I don't meet with those ones.

Online for me helps with my shyness in a way, I cant chat easily with someone I have never met over the net, where as in person I would never be able to pluck up the courage to go and talk to a guy.

Life does throw some nice hurdles for us to jump over to get the guy/girl of our dreams.

I've tried online dating on and off for the past 8 years and I'm still single. I've only ever had one bf that I didnt meet online and he was the worst out of the guy's I've dated. Although I class myself as normal (well, I hope I am, lol), I seem to attract the stange and the weirdo's. I think I'm going to quit online dating and just wait until the right guy comes along.

Nah... I guess there aren't a lot of women from Germany here on a.net. Actually I don't know of any... And relationships over huge distances aren't good... not good...

I read in the newspaper lately that more and more people find their loved ones over the internet. So it is a trend which is getting stronger and stronger. I mean, we all use the internet, most of us use Facebook, myspace or something like that to meet people or to talk to people. And I guess a lot of relationships grew out of that.
I am sure you can meet a lot of weird people there, but MAYBE the one and only you are looking for is there

Thats cause this is the Internet.Ever wondered why many don't reveal their true Identities or facts.Look at Anet itself.
Probably they are scared of getting into trouble while posting or just have something to hide.

Finally speaking of these dating sites....You'll need to meet the person to know them better,so its just a bridge to the boat & not the boat to cross the river

The way I see it, online dating has two advantages over traditional methods. 1) You have the opportunity to meet people that otherwise you might not have had the chance to come into contact with either due to geography or different social circles and 2) You have at least a pretty good chance that they are in fact single and looking.

As for myself, online dating has been a valuable learning experience, even though I didn't meet "the one" through such methods.

Quoting HAWK21M (Reply 18):You'll need to meet the person to know them better,so its just a bridge to the boat & not the boat to cross the river

I've had mixed results as well - to be honest, most "dates" i've had from meeting guys on the internet were not that good - however two of the last men that I dated I did meet on the internet and we hit it off great.

I just recently moved again to Houston and decided to try a different approach. I am meeting people online but instead of saying I want to meet specifically for a date I just say "Hey, lets meet for a drink and just see if there is any interest" - if so, very cool, if not, no worries, maybe we can be friends. I am finding that is working out better than before because I have made some friends in the process without burning bridges.

I will say I actually prefer online dating, chatting as opposed to the whole walking around the bar wondering if that good looking guy will talk to you or if the guy he is hanging out with is his bf.

Quoting DocLightning (Reply 5):Online dating is like a thrift store (well, dating in general is). You can't go in with expectations. You have to go in with an open mind and a lot of patience and you would be amazed at what can happen.

Absolutely brilliant analogy! Right on, Doc!

Quoting Superfly (Reply 21):All I have to do is walk outside and the women flock to me.

It's that wicked grin of yours, 'Fly.

Quoting Superfly (Reply 21):Seeing that you live in the Bahamas and work as a flight attendant, shouldn't it be easy to hook up as well as find a partner?

Hook up, yes, find a partner, no. Everybody is fun when they're on vacation, but how many of those fun guys are willing or able to relocate to the Bahamas full-time, let alone self-confident enough to deal with a partner who's job (I assume) requires them to stay overnight away from home a few nights a week?